Second Chances
by Tempest-Dragona
Summary: What if the last line of the Cetra wasn't killed at the Meteor incident? What if by fate two souls were given a second chance? If a long line of Ancient blood was passed down to one person, would they use it for chaos? Or for salvation?
1. Teaser Chapter

Chapter 1 - (Teaser Chapter)  
  
The waves of the ocean crawled up the bank of the shoreline as the sun went down.  
There sitting along the edge was Cloud Strife, who's thoughts were doing much the same in his mind.  
He watched the waves with distant eyes, his thoughts increasing with every blink.  
Most of his thoughts drifted around the past couple of years.  
His friends and he had defeated his greatest enemy and saved the world.  
At first it felt great, but lately all he felt was guilt and sorrow.  
He knew the credit his group had taken for saving the world was not their's for the taking.  
Sure, they had defeated the man responsible for it all, but it was thanks to the planet itself for the rescue... and thanks to her.  
  
"Cloud?" the gentle voice burst through the cloudy thoughts of the man's mind.  
"Are you alright?"   
Cloud turned slowly to look over his shoulder.  
  
His blonde, spikey hair seemed to match in detail with his blue, Mako filled eyes,  
His trademark from being in SOLDIER, as he looked on to the woman behind him.  
She stood with her hands behind her back. Her long brown hair flowing down her shoulders, but held with a clasp at the end, and her brown eyes burning with a firey passion.  
For what, Cloud wasn't sure, but he smiled faintly at her none-the-less and nodded to her question. "Yes, Tifa. I'm fine."  
Tifa Lockheart let her hands drop to her sides. The gentle sea breeze pushed through her hair gently, sending a relaxing sensation through her body as she stared into those capturing blue orbs.  
  
"Are you sure?" she finally asked after several minutes of just staring.  
Again Cloud nodded. He didn't understand her ambition, nor did he believe that he wanted to at times.  
He noticed the ways she would look at him, and he knew she deeply cared for him.  
Well, you would think that would be a definite thing since they had been friends since childhood, but he had started to believe that the feelings she had for him were more than friendship.  
Sure, his feelings for her were strong as well, but... something was standing in his way... she was standing in his way.  
"Well... okay. I just wanted to check up on you. Tomorrow's the big day, ya know? We'll get to see everybody again, it's been a while."  
"Yeah," Cloud spoke quietly, pushing back his thoughts so he could focus.  
"I'm looking forward to it," Tifa said softly.   
  
Cloud could tell she was running out of things to say and that it was making her uncomfortable.  
"It won't be that big of a deal. Everybody will say hi, talk for a while, then we'll all go home again."  
Tifa turned to him slowly. Once again he was facing the waves, his eyes distant, but the Mako in them causing them to shine.  
Her eyes softened slightly as she watched him. She knew why he was like this, and she wished with all her heart that it would be herself he wanted instead of her.  
She swallowed hard and held back hurtful tears as she spoke again, her voice a little shakey.  
"I wish we could all go on another adventure. We'd all be together again, things would go back to the way they were..."  
Cloud closed his eyes and sighed. "Things will never be the same again," and with that he stood slowly, dusting the sand from his pants and pulling his boots on before walking past Tifa silently.  
He didn't even look at her or say goodnight as he went. He knew she was watching him as he walked off, and of course he felt bad, but talking about his old 'friends' only brought up further memories, hurtful ones, and he didn't wish to think anymore on that subject than he needed to.  
Tomorrow's reunion was going to be a troublesome day. He wasn't looking forward to seeing everybody because the only person who really mattered he saw everyday, and the only one he wanted to see... well, he'd never see her again.  
  
Tifa watched Cloud, her expression baring that of a crushed soul.  
All of the sudden it felt as if her heart was ripped from her chest and stepped on, being left there for her to pick up and replace.  
She didn't understand how Cloud worked anymore, quite frankly she wasn't sure if she ever understood him in the first place now.  
All he ever thought about was that ruthless day in the Crater... the battle they had faught, and the face they had seen once the Meteor was destroyed.  
That face... this was the cause of all the problems. She knew Cloud was close with the girl, but now he couldn't have her, and it was killing him inside.  
That thought hurt Tifa even more knowing that she wasn't enough to comfort him.  
She shook her head slowly and made her way back towards the town.  
She scuffed her feet as she went, kicking up a little sand, but didn't really notice it.  
Her eyes scanned around once she was in town to Cloud's house. Once again she shook her head, this time becoming a bit angry at him.  
She then stormed off to her house and went inside, not taking heed of the pair of crystal-like pacific green eyes watching her that quickly vanished as she shut the door.  
  
(A/N: Like the title says, this is just the teaser chapter. It'll get better, you can bet on it. I don't really have much to say besides this takes place AFTER the main battle in the game. I don't own anything, Square Soft has that honor. I only own this fic and the characters that I WILL HAVE CREATED! So as always, review and tell me what you think!) 


	2. Eyes of The Beholder

Chapter 2 - Eyes of the Beholder  
  
Slowly a pair of dainty feet drug their way up from the shores of Nibelheim.   
A pair of tired eyes spotted the town from under a dark cloak, and a spark   
of hope rippled through them. The figure made it's way up from the shore and   
through the grassy field to the entrance of the 'cutsey' town. Panting as if   
walking for days, the figure's eyes scanned around, catching glimps of a   
pair stading in front of the Inn arguing about wether or not they were going   
to take a boat to Junon, or take Chocobos. Neither the blonde man, nor the   
brunette woman seemed to notice the person watching them until they noticed   
the fact that it was moving towards them. Cloud pushed Tifa behind him,   
reaching for his Broad Sword, earning an angry 'Hmph!' from Tifa who pushed   
him to the side and approached the new comer catiously.  
  
"H-Hello.' Tifa said as plesantly as she could.  
"W-Where am I?" The voice was that of a female's which for some reason   
relaxed Tifa greatly.  
"Nibelheim." Tifa answered, nodding to Cloud that this girl was ok.  
Cloud raised a distrusting eyebrow and stepped closer to the figure,   
sheathing his sword. "Why do you wear a black cloak on a summer's day?" he   
asked, a little too rudely for Tifa's liking, or so he figured since he got   
jabbed in the side with an elbow.  
"I was...I was getting away. You said I was in Nibelheim?" the girl's voice   
was tired.  
"Yes," Tifa nodded.  
The girl looked up slowly, her face still slightly darkened by the hood of   
the cloak, but a smile could be seen now. She slowly reached her hands up to   
the cloak, pushing the hood back, and earning a gasp from the two people in   
front of her.  
"Holy cow......" Tifa blinked. She watched the girl pull the entire cloak   
from her body, her eyes wide, before she looked at Cloud, who was just as   
shocked as she was.  
  
This girl..she looked like Cloud! Her medium length blonde hair fell onto   
two well built shoulders that led down to two arms that screamed out proudly   
that this girl could use any type of sword you put in her hands. She stood a   
few inches shorter than Cloud, standing at about Tifa's height, but looked   
no where near her age. The youth on this girl's face was shown in pure   
innocence as she looked puzzledly onto the two. Cloud blinked slowly at the   
girl when he noticed her eyes. The same haunting eyes of that which...he   
shook his head. It wasn't possible, but the eyes. They were a creepy pasific   
green color, but the glow in them was just like her's were...this girl had   
her eyes...the same innocent look in them as well..and the more Cloud looked   
at her the more he saw of her than himself...she looked like...like...  
  
"Aries..." Cloud blurted out in a shallow whisper.  
The girl seemed to catch the words, her eyes widened considerably and she   
took a step back. "H-How do you know that name...?"  
Tifa tilted her head to the side. "Whatter you talkin' about, Cloud?! She   
looks like you! Not Aries!"  
Again the girl took a step back. "..Cloud? Cloud Strife?"  
Cloud took a step forword now. "Now how do YOU know THAT name?" his eyes   
narrowed slightly, now not knowing wether to trust this girl, or to slice   
her up."  
"Y-You can't be...Well I mean you can be...but..."  
"Who are you?!" Cloud growled, getting a little irritated by this point.  
The girl bowed her head and shook it slowly. "I don't know if you are ready   
for that answer, Cloud." she looked up agian slowly, her eyes glistening   
from tears. "Just know that my name, is Jillian."  
Cloud stared at her for a moment. Why did that name seem so familiar to him   
all of a sudden? In his oppinion he had never heard it before! But this   
girl..she seemed WAY too familiar to him, yet he had never met her   
before....  
"Why do you look like Cloud? As far as I know he doesn't have any siblings!"   
Tifa nodded to herself and looked at Cloud.  
"Yeah...As far as I know too.." Cloud mumbled.  
The girl sighed. "If I told you, you wouldn't believe me."  
"Try me." Tifa smirked.  
Jillian gave Tifa a look of 'I'll tell you later' then looked back at Cloud.   
"Now..how do you know the name?"  
Cloud looked away from the girl and closed his eyes. "She was a friend of   
ours."  
"So you...you guys are...You're the Savers of the Planet?!"  
Tifa nodded proudly. "Yep! That'd be us!"  
Cloud shook his head, his tone now angry. "No! It wasn't us! We only   
defeated Sephiroth, the planet did the rest!"  
Jillian blinked several times. "...Defeated Sephiroth....But he-" she fell   
silent for a moment, bowing her head and closing her eyes as if listening to   
someone only she could hear. After a few moments she looked up and nodded   
slowly. "I see..."  
"You see what?" Tifa blinked.  
Jillian shook her head. "If I told you now, you wouldn't understand. You   
really should come with me to Kalm though..."  
Tifa smiled slightly. "We're going to Kalm anyways! We were just dicussing   
how to get there!"  
"Chocobos would be the quickest way...."  
"See, Cloud, I told you!" Tifa punched him in the arm lightly.  
"A woman's opinion..." Cloud sighed. "Fine. We leave in five minutes. Get   
the stuff you need and move out."  
Both girls nodded and watched the man leave before Tifa turned to the   
smaller girl. "I'd ask all about you, but when we get to Kalm I'm sure I'll   
find out anyways. So how old are you?"  
"I'm fifteen." the girl answered blankly, walking into the Item's shop and   
picking out some Tents and Potions.  
"Wow, you're a youngin'!" Tifa grinned. "Where ya from?"  
The girl froze. "I uh......" she set the items she had gathered on the   
counter, Tifa doing the same, looking at the girl in question, and the shop   
keeper quickly added up the sum of Gil. "I'm from....Mideel....but I was   
born in Midgar." the girl blinked, her eyes going blank for a moment until   
the chash register chimed and the amount of Gil was shown. She quickly paid   
for her items and slide out of the store, Tifa right behind her.  
"You're a long ways from home to be travlin' all by your lonesome!"  
Jillian nodded. "Yeah, it was a long trip, but I manage."  
"How'd you get all the way here? I mean I know you can't walk across the   
ocean."  
"I borrowed a Chocobo from a friend." she answered, putting her items into   
the bag she had on her back.  
"Well, I said I wasn't gonna ask all about you so I'll stop." Tifa smiled   
kindly.  
Jillian smiled back then fell still again. What are you doing?! Don't open   
up to them! They can't be trusted! Jillian sighed at the voice and shook   
her head.  
Tifa tilted her own to one side. "You ok?"  
Jillian nodded slowly. "Yes I'm-" {Oh leave her alone! She's finally making   
friends! AND with the right people! Just get them to Kalm, Jilly-bean! All   
will become clear then I promise!} "I'm fine." She smiled fakely and stood   
up slowly.  
"Alright." Tifa blinked. "If you say so." she put her stuff in her pack and   
sood up as well, leading the way to the edge of town where Cloud was waiting   
with two Gold Chocobos (A/N I actually have an entire stable fullof them   
-_-) and a Black one.  
"Jillian, this is Oscar and Chad, they're the only two Gold Chocobos we have   
so you'll have to bare with us. This one." Cloud pulled on the reigns of the   
Black Chocobo. "Is Luna. We won't be going over deep water so you won't have   
to worry about it."  
"Won't we have to go over dark water to get to Kalm from here?" Tifa asked,   
raising an eyebrow.  
"Yes, which is why we're going to Costa Del Sol and taking the boat to   
Junon. This is called a comprimise, Tifa. We both get what we want this   
way."  
Tifa rolled her eyes and went to the smaller of the two Gold Chocobos and   
patted him gently. "It's been a long time, Chad." she smiled as the Chocobo   
warked then climbed up skillfully onto the large bird.  
Jillian blinked slowly at the three birds. She had watched Tifa climb up   
onto the one bird, then watched Cloud do the same for Oscar, but this 'Luna'   
didn't know who she was...and it might not take kindly to a stranger riding   
her....  
"C'mon, Jillian. Let's go." Cloud urged. He didn't like to wait for his   
friends, so waiting on a girl her barely knew was annoying.  
Jillian nodded slowly and swallowed hard. She climbed up onto the old car at   
the entrace to the town and pulled the Black Chocobo to her. She shakily   
climbed up onto it and quickly found her balance on the bird, who didn't   
seem to mind her presence there.  
"See!" Tifa smiled. "Luns is a real calm Chocobo!"  
"Y-Yeah...." Jillian smiled faintly then followed behind the others as they   
led the way to Costa Del Sol.  
  
Jillian watched the two ahead of her. Not understanding them in the   
slightest and wasn't sure if she wanted to get to know them or not. She   
sighed softly, getting to know Cloud would be a good advantage for her, it   
was something she needed to do, but from all the stories she heard, he   
wasn't the easiest person to get close to. She admired Tifa already for   
accomplishing such a thing, but then again the older woman made her slightly   
angry at the attempts she made to snag Cloud's heart. {..It's been a long   
time, Jillian. Do not spite her. Get to know her.} Jillian sighed softly. "I   
don't know if I want to." She was far enough away as to not be heard so that   
the others would not think she was talking to herself and was greatful.   
Good! Go with your instincts! Jillian shook my head. "My instincts say to   
get to know them..." {Ha! Now leave her alone!} the girl smiled at the   
femmenin voice and listened to the male voice growl. Just hurry and get   
back, alright!? "I don't see why you are in such a hurry to be seen...it's   
not like they are going to smile and be happy to see you."  
  
"Be happy to see who?" Tifa blinked.  
Jillian paled as she noticed her Chocobo had sped up to catch up with the   
others.  
Cloud looked at her a little funny. "Are you on drugs?" he asked flatly.  
"No!" Jillian protested.  
"Then...are you running away from a mental institution?"  
Jillian glared at the older man. He was definately NOT going to be a person   
to open up to. Not yet at least...not until he knew...  
"I'll take that as a no." Cloud smirked.  
"Look! There it is!" Tifa cheered.  
The younger girl looked to where the older pointed and smiled, then slapped   
the reigns of the Chocobo against it's side and charged in on the town.  
"She has a lot of spirit, I'll give her that." Tifa grinned before doing the   
same to Chad to catch up with the other girl.  
'Yeah..' Cloud thought. 'Just like Aries....' he kneed Oscar, making the   
Chocobo wark, then caught up with the girls in town.  
  
~~~***~~~***~~~***~~~***~~~  
  
Cloud stood on the deck of the boat, watching as Junon came closer and   
closer into view. He sighed softly to himself. Why did this girl all of a   
sudden make him feel so different? In a way she made him feel happy, but in   
another, he had to say it was her eyes and spirit, made him sad and   
depressed. The way she looked blew his mind as well. She looked so much like   
him in the face, but her features resembled those of...He shook his head   
slowly. Maybe he was thinking about Aries too much, now he saw her in girls   
he barely even knew. He caught glimps of a small pair of hands that rested   
up on the rail of the boat a few feet away. He turned slowly and looked at   
their keeper. He looked at her thoughtfully for a moment then stood up   
straight and went to her.  
  
"Jillian? Can I ask you something?"  
The younger girl blinked. He actually wanted to talk to her now? "...Sure.   
What is it?"  
Cloud's face twisted into a puzzled state. "How do you know Aries?"  
"What makes you think I know her at all?"  
"Well, you got all defencive when I said her name."  
"Maybe I just read about her in a book or something."  
"See, there you go again. Now tell me the truth." Cloud was normally a very   
impatient person most of the time, but at the moment, he felt as if he   
needed to be calm around this girl.  
Jillian turned to face the water agian, watching as the last bit of sunlight   
dipped behind the Wutai mountains and vanished, leaving the stars and moon   
the claim the sky. "If I told you...you wouldn't believe me anyways..."  
"You never know." Cloud smiled softly, leaning against the rail as well.  
Jillian sighed softly and looked at him. "I'm....I guess you'd say I'm   
special?"  
"Special? How so?" Cloud inclined his head slightly.  
"...I hear things." she answered quietly.  
Ok, now he was begging to believe this girl was crazy. "Hear things, like   
voices?"  
Jillian nodded, her eyes still locked over the ocean. They seemed to glow   
now, the pasific green orbs capturing the moon's light and reflecting it   
radiantly into the night. "Yes....In a sense."  
Cloud blinked slowly. "I see..."  
"See," Jillian sighed. "I knew you wouldn't believe me, and now you probably   
think I'm going insane."  
"Actually," Cloud shifted his feet slightly. "I was thinking about how much   
you really remind me of Aries....She heard things too, only it was the   
planet....talking...to.." He looked at her, his eyes wide as he did so. He   
looked her over as she turned to face him, a knowing look on her face.   
"Jillian are you....?"  
The girl nodded. "Yes, Cloud. I'm a Cetra...."  
Cloud's expression went blank. This girl..she was a..a Cetra! But how could   
she be?! The last of them were killed only two years ago! There was no way   
this girl could have been born of them and grown into a teenager in a matter   
of two years! "How...I don't..I don't understand.."  
Jillian shook her head and turned back to face the water.  
"Jillian..how are you a-"  
"We will be arriving at Junon Harbor in five minutes. Repeate: We will be   
arriving at Junon Harbor in five minutes."  
Jillian sighed softly and moved away from the rail. "All will be explained   
when we reached Kalm." she walked past him, not saying another word, and   
went to join Tifa by the back of the boat.  
Cloud stood there, baffled. He looked as if he had been slapped in the face   
a few times and not knowing the reason why. Jillian was a Cetra? But how?!   
He still didn't understand, and he didn't want to wait to reach Kalm until   
he got his answers, but from the looks of it, he would have to.  
  
***~~~***~~~***~~~***~~~***  
  
The town of Kalm came into view and Jillian let out a relieved sigh. It's   
about time! Hurry up! "I can't go any faster than the Chocobo does, be   
patient!" she shook her head as the voice fell silent and urged the Chocobo   
to go faster. Once the group reached the outskirts of the town Jillian   
hopped off the bird and led her slowly to the town, Cloud and Tifa a little   
ways behind her.  
  
"She's a what!?"  
"Shh!" Cloud warned. "She's a Cetra, and keep your voice down!"  
"How?! I thought the last of them were dead!"  
"Apparently not if she's walking and breathing and only a few feet in front   
of us!"  
"You know what I meant!" Tifa scolded. "How is it possible that SHE is a   
Ancient?!"  
"Cetra," Cloud glared. "And I'm not sure. She siad we'd find out once we   
reached Kalm."  
"Well then lets hurry up and get into town, the faster we do so, the faster   
we get out answers!"  
Cloud nodded and made his Chocobo go faster, Tifa right behind him, until   
they got to the edge of town and climbed down, Jillian already in the town.  
"Your friends are here..." Jillian said, her voice void of any emotion.  
"Yes, we know." Cloud nodded, a little worried by the tone of her voice.  
"Well, you brought us here," Tifa sighed. "Now what?"  
"Now, you follow me." Jillian pushed further into the town, heading towards   
the back.  
  
Cloud looked at Tifa who shrugged, then followed after the girl. She led   
them to a newer looking house in the back of town. It looked just like the   
others, white with blue trimming, but it looked a little smaller. The   
location was slightly akward, it was right behind the bar, and the only one   
in the area. Jillian stopped at the door briefly, pulling a key from her   
pocket to unlock it before pushing it open.  
  
"I'm home!" She called as she pushed the door open. "Hello? Where are you   
guys?!"  
Cloud and Tifa entered the house behind her, making sure to close the door,   
which they instantly regreted since it was the only source of light in the   
house and they didn't know their way around like Jillian did. Neither of   
them dared to move in fear of bumping into something and breaking it.  
"Hello?!" Jillian called again then her foot steps stopped as another voice   
entered the room.  
"There you are! Welcome home, Jilly-bean!"  
"Hi." The girl's tone went flat, as if she wasn't too thrilled to be here.  
"It's about time. Did you have a safe trip." another voice asked.  
"Yes." Jillian sighed. "I brought them here like you asked..."  
"I know, Jilly...light the lamp now..."  
Cloud listened to the foot steps as they got closer again. "What the hell   
is-" he stopped as the lamp was lit, light enfulging the room. His eyes   
widened slightly as he took a step back, Tifa doing much of the same.   
"No...it's not possible...."  
A petiet woman stepped forward. Her long chestnut brown hair fell loosely   
down her back and her aqua green eyes burned brightly as they took hold of   
the two faces. "Hello, Cloud..Tifa..."  
Cloud shook his head slowly. "What kind of trick is this..."  
"It's no trick, I assure you." the other voice cooed as a tall, well built,   
man with long silvery hair stepped forword, his pasific green eyes   
glimmering dangerously. "Long time no see, Cloud."  
Cloud glared at the man, but was still in shock.  
Tifa stumbled forward slightly. "I don't understand...you are..?"  
The two looked at each other and exchanged grins before looking back at Tifa   
and nodding. "Yes, Tifa. It's us...Aries and Sephiroth."  
  
(A/N Ta da! chapter 2! I really need to slow down since I'm writing this too   
fast. Which I guess is good in a way since it means the chapters will be   
posted sooner, but I wrote and finshed the first and second chapters in the   
same day, one after another....lol so I think I'm a little envolved with   
this story, ne? *giggles* Anyways! review! tell me whatcha think of this   
chapter! Flames still don't and never will bother me so uh...that would be a   
waste of your time to write one out just to get on my bad side ^^; anyways   
until next time!) 


	3. Reunited With Destiny

Chapter 3- Reunited With Destiny  
  
"Aries?! But-but how?! You-You're suppose to be dead!!" Cloud blinked several times, his expresson still shocked. "Everybody gets a second chance at some time or another, Cloud." Aries smiled. "I just so happened to get mine right after the world was saved. "But how? I don't understand!" Cloud snapped. "Perhaps it is not for you to understand." Jillian looked at him thoughtfully. "And you! Where do YOU come in on this?!" Cloud frowned. He was confused now, and still wasn't sure if this was all real or not. Jillian looked away slowly. "I shouldn't be the one to tell you..." Aries took a step towards Cloud. "She is my daughter, Cloud." "What?!" Tifa blurted. "How? She's 15!" Aries sighed softly. "She was born of the planet and grown in a most distrubing manner..." "WHY does she look like me?! That's what I'D like to know!" "Cloud please," Tifa growled. "Let them talk!" Cloud crossed his arms over his chest, a deadly scowl on his face as he complied. Aries looked at the girl, whose eyes now seemed very intrested in her shoes, and smiled weakly. "Cloud, Jillian was, as I said, born of the Earth. Shinra found out about her and then their new head of the Science Department, being the mad man he is, decided that he'd experiment on her. Don't ask me how, but he took cells from me as from you...and gave them to Jillian..." "Whoa, whoa..." Tifa put a hand to her forhead. "Let me get this straight. You are telling us that Jillian is Cloud's daughter?!" Cloud, who was lost until now, lost all color. How could he have a daughter? And how did Shinra Inc. get back on it's feet so soon?! More importantly WHO was in charge of it now? And were they good or evil?! He looked at Aries blankly, the words finally catching up with him. "M-My daughter...? Is she..Is Tifa right?" Aries sighed again and nodded. "I guess you could call her that, Cloud. She was extracted with your cells...technically making her such." Jillian looked up slowly, a small smile on her face. Cloud looked at her, a half shocked, half angry look on his face. "THIS is what you couldn't tell me!? That's I'M your fricken father?!" Jillian's face sunk. The innocence in her eyes turned to fear as tears filled her eyes. "I-I couldn't-" "Cloud, please don't be angry with her!" Aries pulled the girl protectivly to her. "She only did what she thought best." "She SHOULD have at least told me who she was and WHAT I was to her!" Cloud roared, little did he know he affects his words were having on the girl. "I-I didn't-" Jillian pushed away from her mother and out the door. All of the adults looked after her, then three sets of eyes glared coldly at Cloud. "I'll go talk to her." Sephiroth sighed. "Wait a damn minute! What's YOUR story?!" Cloud yelled, grabbing a hold of Sephiroth's arm. Sephiroth smirked and pulled away. "Everybody gets a second chance, Cloud." He walked past the man, giving Tifa a plesant smile (well as plesant as possible from Sephiroth) and went outside. "I don't and never will trust him!" Aries shot a glare at Cloud that would fry Mythril Iron. "Sephiroth is NOT the man you knew seven years ago, Cloud! He has been like a father to Jillian and she looks up to him greatly!" Cloud blinked several times. "But-but I thought I was her father." Aries snorted. "After the stunt you just pulled, Sephiroth proves to be a better father than you'll ever be!" she shook her head as she pushed past the blonde, following the former two who had went outside. Cloud blinked several times. "Wait a minute!!! How did this get turned on ME?!" Tifa sighed and shook her head. She knew Cloud was thick, but this was ridiculess. In the past years she had known him Cloud seemed like someone she could get married to and have a family with, but after seeing the way he just reacted to finding out Jillian was his daughter blew her mind entirely. Her whole aspect on Cloud changed at that moment. "Tifa? Earth to Tifa! Are you in there?!" Cloud asked, waving his hands frantically in front of her face. "Yes, Cloud! Now stop it!" Cloud blinked at the frustration in her voice. "..Not you too!!" "Well she is your daughter, Cloud. And I think you over reacted to seeing Aries and Sephiroth." "Are you listening to youself?! Tifa you're acting as if Sephiroth was never our enemy! He killed your father, almost killed you, and burned our home town to the ground only seven years ago!!" "Well as they both said, Cloud. Everybody gets a second chance, and with the compassion he showed for Jillian, I'm willing to grant him that chance." She said almost too calmly for Cloud's liking. 'She's flipped!' Cloud thought. 'She's literally gone off the deep end! I mean she can't be thinking clearly if she's willing to give Sephiroth another chance!' Cloud shook his head to clear the thoughts. "You are crazy." he frowned. "I'm going to find the others, they should be here some where. When you're ready, come find us." He glared slightly as he left the house, catching the three figures that stood only a few feet away that didn't notice him as he went to the entrance of the town. His daughter was being 'raised' by his enemy! And what was worse was she thought of him as more of a father than Cloud himself! He growled slightly as the Inn came into view and went inside.  
  
*** "Now, now, Jilly-bean. Don't take that too hard. The first shot is always a little difficult to take. He just doesn't know how to take it right now." Jillian tightened her grip around Sephiroth's waist. "Why can't it just be us again?! Why'd we have to bring Cloud into all this?! He doesn't want me! He doesn't think of me as a daughter the way Sephiroth and you do!" Aries sighed and ran a hand through the girl's, who was sandwiched inbetween Sephiroth and herself, hair and looked at the taller man. Sephiroth gave her a simple smile, liping the words 'I'll talk to her about that later.' and tightened his grip around the younger girl. "Aw, come on now Jillian. I've known Cloud a long time. I know how he moves and how he is. He'll come around sooner or later." another voice pressed gently. Jillian lifted her head slightly and looked at the brunette before burrying her face back into Sephiroth's chest. "Don't let Cloud get you down. He can be a real jerk, I know, but he ain't a bad guy at heart. Ya just need to give him a chance, Jill! He'll open up to ya! It may just take a little time, and if you're anything like him you know where he's comin' from!" Jillian sniffled slightly and looked up again. "I-I don't know if I want to- to give it another shot...." "Jillian," Sephiroth frowned. "What is the one thing I've made sure time and time again that it's in your head and staying there?" "...not to give up..always get what you want no matter what it takes.." Jillina looked down at the words. "Well I don't know about that last part," Aries looked at Sephiroth sternly. "but non-the-less the first part is right." she turned Jillian around to face her and looked the girl in the eyes. "Jillian....you are special....I think it's time that-" "HOLY @#!%!!!!" Alarmed, the four people looked towards the voice. "So it is ture!!! The spikey-headed bastard was right!!!" Tifa blinked a few times. "..Barret?"  
  
Sure enough there stood the tall colored man. His features were shocked and Tifa could tell that time was catching up with him, but by no means slowing him down. He stood there, his gun arm and regular arm lowered, obviously from the shock, and he just stared. Tifa made out four other figures behind him. She figured it had to be the others since Barret didn't like to travle with anybody else besides his daughter, Marlene.  
  
"I can't believe it!!! It's really her!" a younger, femmenin voice shrieked. 'Yuffie.' Tifa thought. The young ninja girl was always full of energy, too much in Tifa's opinion. "Well I'll be damned...." the owner of the Highwind stepped forward, Cid himself with a smug look on his face. "I was shocked just to hear it, but now to see it...I feel as if I'm dreaming." Nanaki spoke as he stepped forward, the red creature's features had shock written in big letters all over him. "This is truely a questioning situation." Vincent nodded to himself, he seemed to have opened up a little bit after the meteor incident, which didn't bother Tifa one bit since now that she knew about him, he didn't freak her out. Aries stood up straight, a small smile on her face as she looked over her friends. None of them had changed very much physically, she noted, the only small difference in them all being the fact that they looked a couple years older. "Hello everyone." The group all took a step back as if they hadn't been expecting her to be able to speak. They looked at her, looking slightly scared until Aries realized it wasn't her they were looking at, at all. She turned to look over her shoulder at the man who stood with her daughter then looked back at the small group. "It's ok," she smiled sweetly, the old innocent look on her face seeming to calm the group. "There isn't anything to be afraid of anymore. Sephiroth is fine now." "Who's the girl?" Barret asked, ignoring Aries' statement. "She looks like Cloud!!!" Yuffie pointed and jumped up slightly, looking at her team then back. "Nah," Cid shook his head. "Maybe a little bit, but she looks more like Aries!" Cid nodded then stopped, the others doing the same as they looked at eachother then back at Aries with a 'You two didn't, did you?!' look on their faces. Aries shook her head violently. "No, no!!! She only looks like us because she was-" Tifa stepped forward, standing in front of Aries. "Shinra got a hold of her when she was little, they put some of Areis and Cloud's genes into her system. But don't ask me how she grew so fast." Jillian's grip on Sephiroth tightened again as she hid her face in his chest once more. Aries sighed. "Shinra had her in one of those stupid specemine tanks, the head of the Science Department now, got her fifteen years ago, she wasn't born two years ago, they kept her hidden in a secret lab Shinra use to have in Mideel after the first Mako reacter was blown up, then once the rebuilding of Midgar started, they moved her back to Shinra Corp. until she got away to the Slums which is where I found her after I woke up." "Woke up?" Vincent asked, crossing his arms slightly. "What secret lab?" Barret asked as well, his normal self thinking that his question was more important. "Yes, I woke up in the Church in the Sector 5 Slums, kind of ironic if you ask me, but I don't question it. And Shinra had a lab in Mideel, yes." "What happend to it?" Barret asked again. Sephiroth looked at the girl then at Barret. "We took care of it." his eyes were cold towards the others, but not in an angry sense, they seemed to hold a protective glance in them. Barret nodded. "It figures a blood thirsty monster like yourself would have done such a thing." Jillian's head shot up, her hands going for the sword in it's sheath on her back as she jumped away from Sephiroth, delivering a blow to Barret's chest that knocked him to the ground and before he had a chance to respond a sword that resembled that of Cloud's Buster Sword was held to his neck, the girls eyes burning with a dangerous fury. "Jillian!!" Aries screamed sternly. "Let him up!!!" "Tell them then!!!" Jillian yelled back, keeping her eyes locked on Barret. Barret's eyes were wide in both anger and fear. How could such a small girl have so much strength?! It didn't take anything for her to knock him down, and it took some of the strongest men to hold him down in the hospitals for shots! "Jillian! NOW!"  
  
"TELL THEM!" Aries' eyes narrowed, her fists clenching tightly. Jillian glared down at the man beneath her blade. "Sephiroth is NOT a killer. I don't care WHAT he was to you, but he was reborn to be given a second chance and that's what the Planet wishes! They took care of the lab to help me! And what about you Barret Wallace?! Are you not the one who led a reble group into a Mako Reactor and blew IT to pieces?! Killing not only the people nearby, but most of the people in ALL of Sector 1?! And then what about the Plate in Sector 7?! Who's fault was-" "JILLIAN!" Sephiroth glared, pulling the girl off of Barret. Jillian's expression went blank before her body went limp. She dropped her sword to the ground hearing it skitter slightly on the paved alley before it felt like her mind went numb. "What the hell was all that?!" Barret demanded, climbing to his feet. "That girl is crazier than you are!" he yelled, pointing at the man holding Jillian by the back of her shirt. Sephiroth frowned. "She's going through a rough time at the moment and you didn't help much. As protective as Areis and I are of her, Jillian's protection over us is MUCH more. She'd take anybody out if they even blinked at us wrong." "She has problems! That's what's wrong with her!" Yuffie glared. "You'd be better off killing her yourself! Add another life to your list!" "Yuffie!" Tifa scolded, giving her the Lockheart glare of death. "Well it's true!" Yuffie protested, ignoring the look. "What did you do to her?" Vincent asked calmly, looking at the limp girl. "I did nothing, the Planet is speaking with her, I'd ask if you could feel it, but I know better." Nanaki closed his eyes breifly. "It's more like she's being scolded......" Areis nodded. "She is a child of the Earth. She'll be fine after a while." Barret's eyes narrowed. "Well don't expect us to be around!" Areis sighed and shook her head. "I don't." she looked up and smiled sadly. "It was good to see you all again." she looked at Sephiroth and nodded. She watched him pick the girl up in his arms then walk into the house before following him. Tifa watched the three then looked back at her group. "You should be ashamed of yourselves!" "What the &^%@# ever! She attacked me!" Tifa glared and put her hands on her hips. "When you find Cloud, tell him I'm staying here." and with that she turned her back to her former group, her glare never lifting until she got into the house and shut the door behind her.  
  
(A/N Yay.......it's done! lol uh....just wanted to point some things out. YES I KNOW that Midgar wasn't rebuilt, but who really knows that? The 500 years later thing at the end of the game COULD have just been seriously 500 years later (well duh) and they actually MIGHT have rebuilt Midgar! So there! Anyways lol review and tell me what you think! OOOK! (-_- you'd be safer not asking me to explain that one...)) 


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